Related Events

A furniture dealer has named a new COO as part of its succession plan.

Todd Custer has spent most of the last decade working at his family’s company, Grand Rapids-based Custer, a workplace furnishings and Steelcase dealer.

The company said this week that Todd has been promoted from VP of sales to chief operating officer.

As COO, he’ll oversee the day-to-day work of all Custer divisions: Design, Architectural Products, Furnishings, Technology, HealthWorks and 217 Management.

Succession plan

David Custer, the dealer's owner, said he plans to remain at the company to help mentor his son, before hopefully passing the leadership position off to him in a couple of years. David would then remain the chairman of the board, and his son would become CEO.

Todd’s brothers, Scott and Mark, also work at the dealer.

“I feel good about this. This has been a 10-year process,” David said. “We’ve been having family meetings off site with the boys and their spouses. We didn’t’ want them to feel pressure that they had to work for us. But if you do, you’ve got to work five years somewhere else first to earn the experience and not just be handed a job. All three came back.”

Background

Todd joined the company in 2006 as director of health care sales, before being promoted to VP of sales.

He previously served as market manager and NBD consultant at Steelcase Denver.

Todd studied communication, advertising and marketing at Michigan State University.

Restricted Content

About GRBJ

Since 1983, the Grand Rapids Business Journal has been West Michigan's primary and most-trusted source of local business news. The weekly print edition of the Business Journal, a must-read for the area’s top decision-makers, is known as the business newspaper of metro Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon and all of West Michigan.

grbj.com provides the same trusted and objective business reporting that the Business Journal is known for -- plus real-time original content, timely enewsletters/alerts, exclusive blogs and more. Business Journal subscribers receive the weekly print edition, including bonus publications like the annual Book of Lists, and also complete access to all content on grbj.com.

The Grand Rapids Business Journal is published by Gemini Publications.